Bayberry (Yangmei) Wine

Why people make this wine

Fresh bayberry (yangmei) comes into season cheap and bright, but many people find it too tart to eat much of — and old-timers warned that eating a lot could stir up sores. Turned into wine, though, it becomes a gentle, pleasant thing: traditionally associated with supporting upright qi, harmonizing the stomach, and aiding digestion, and a small spoonful is said to help with food that won’t settle, upset stomachs, and the achy, run-down feeling of overwork. The sweet-tart wine is lovely sipped neat or used in cooking.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Adults who enjoy a small spoonful (1–2 tablespoons at a time); traditionally taken to harmonize the stomach and aid digestion
• This is alcohol: not for children, pregnant or nursing women, or anyone who should not drink
• Bayberry is acidic — eating the fresh fruit in quantity can harm the teeth; soak the fruit in light salt water for about 10 minutes before use to clean it

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Bayberry / yangmei (yang mei): traditionally associated with harmonizing the stomach and aiding digestion once infused into wine
• Rock sugar (bing tang): balances the tartness; the amount can be adjusted to taste
• Rice wine (mi jiu): the infusing base that draws out and preserves the fruit’s character

Ingredients (1 jar)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Fresh bayberry	~300 g	Stems and caps removed
Crushed rock sugar	~150 g	About half the fruit weight; adjust to taste
Rice wine	~375 g	Enough to cover the fruit by 1–2 inches

Method

1. Remove the stems and caps from the bayberries. Rinse in cold boiled water with a little salt, drain, and air-dry.
2. Place the fruit in a glass jar. Pour in the rice wine and add the crushed rock sugar; the wine should just cover the fruit by 1–2 inches.
3. Seal and keep in a cool, dark place. It is ready to drink in about 2 weeks. Take 1–2 tablespoons at a time.

Bro Niu’s tips

White (clear) rice wine gives the brightest color. It’s best to drink bayberry wine within a month or two; if you’re keeping it longer, lift the fruit out — otherwise the wine turns from red to a reddish-brown and the flavor falls off. Bayberry isn’t too tart, so about half the fruit’s weight in rock sugar is plenty (very tart fruit usually takes a 1:1 ratio).

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Mosquito’s mum): I used to love bayberry, but a friend told me to soak it in salt water for ten minutes — once I did, I saw tiny worms swimming in the water and haven’t eaten it for nearly ten years. Is it cleaner now? Bro Niu: Many fruits carry insects, so it’s best to soak them in light salt water for about ten minutes before eating. Strictly speaking these little creatures are harmless — just unpleasant to look at.

• Q (Mosquito’s mum): So if they’re harmless I needn’t worry — I can eat bayberry again? Bro Niu: Soak it in light salt water for 10 minutes before eating and it’s much safer.

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Published May 27, 2011 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.